Fuel and Fire
by Lulu-ichigo
Summary: In this world of variables, you and I remain constant. LeviHan. Both AU and not. Because one universe is not enough to show how love encompasses all, even Time and Space.
1. Insight

I wonder, do you ever think about life after death?

Because I do, all the time.

I scour books upon books for the answer, ask questions to everyone I meet, but the answers I gather are not satisfactory. Nothing is definite. If I had the chance I would have asked a dead man myself, but of course, that is impossible.

You would laugh at me if I told you all of this. You'd tell me that I am too curious for my own good. But it isn't really curiosity that drives me to ask this question. It is fear.

It is in the human nature to be afraid of what he cannot understand; like the pitch black darkness of the night or like the monstrous giants we fight and kill. Once the mind understands, everything will follow: fear is only a door you have to open to realize that there are no real monsters lurking in the dark and that titans are just humans like us, hiding in the hide of a giant.

But death is different from those. I do not know what lies beyond it – that is why I am scared of it.

I am scared of dying, Levi. I am _so_ terrified.

It is primal, this fear I have. It is so raw and overwhelming that it makes my knees wobble and my hands shake and my stomach churn in the most disturbing way. Lost were the days when I was ready to throw my life away for a single kill – for the thrill. Anger had become the wall to keep fear at bay, but as we know, not all barriers last for long. Then, Hope became the driving force in me – became the form of courage to drive me to battle while donning the cloak that bore the wings of freedom.

But even Hope cannot defeat my fear of death.

I know that it will hurt. If I die in the jaws of a titan, it will be quick. If I die by the acid of it's stomach, it will be excruciatingly slow. But if I die by your side, I wouldn't be able to take it. I am a soldier and to die for humanity's sake is an honor, but in your presence I would abandon _all._ I will become desperate enough to cling to the remaining strings that is holding me to mortality to be with you – and it will hurt _so much_ _more,_ because I know I can't hold on forever.

Then, it'll be over. I will never see you again. I will never be able to exchange those shitty jokes with you, ever again. I will never be able to greet you in the morning, or tease you about your cleaning habits, or disturb you in the dead of night just to talk to you. Or will I?

Sometimes I like to think that there are many other worlds. When one life ends, it is reborn into another universe, and in each and every one of these verses, you and I exist, both different and the same. Perhaps in one there are no titans to kill. Perhaps in another you and I are not soldiers. Maybe in a distant world you end up marrying Petra, and I end up loving Mike instead. Wouldn't that be amazing? To have all possibilities happen at the same time... Oh, how I wish I could pick the most desirable one.

"You're thinking of something morbid again."

I never notice anything else when I am in deep thought. If a titan appeared beside me instead, I would have been eaten alive so fast. "Did I wake you up? Was I thinking aloud?"

"No. Thank fuck for that though, because I don't want to hear another dark ass theory about titans while I sleep."

I chuckle at your statement, while you shift away, turning your back at me to continue your interrupted slumber. I turn to face you, bringing my hand up to trace your name with my finger, my touch light and slow against your back.

"I was thinking about Eren's titan-shifting ability."

"If your thoughts even skirt around the idea of dissecting that poor kid, I don't want to know."

"_Ah_ – I would _never!"_

You snorted before pulling the blankets to your shoulders.

"Stop thinking already and sleep."

"I can't stop. Petra makes some really potent coffee, you know?" I move closer to you, and place a kiss at the back of your head. Your hair smells nice as ever. Sometimes I wonder if God made a mistake of making you male – because honestly, you'll be a better girl compared to me. "I can't help but think that she'll be a great wife someday."

"Why don't you go ahead and marry her then?"

"Oh, I would want to. But I'm already deeply in love with you, so maybe I'll do that in another world."

You mutter something along the lines of 'goddammit' and I laugh again – I know you don't like it when I tease you with that line. After all, you and I are not vocal. We are used to being friends for so long that showing romantic affection like that has become unneeded; awkward even.

"Good night, Levi." Rising from the bed, I dip my head to kiss you on the cheek.

"Good night." You mutter back, with eyes closed. "Don't forget to sleep."

"I won't." I smile and lie to you again. Standing up, I walk cautiously to the door, careful to not make any noise.

I feel a little guilty inside for not telling you everything, but it doesn't matter.

You don't need to know.

* * *

A/N: Well that was unnecessarily dark, wasn't it?

Hehe, I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. Zoe just seems like that kind of person who thinks about a lot of things. Like, deep stuff. And I'm sorry if this isn't fluffy and romantic ;w; Levi and Zoe to me just doesn't look like the couple that would be all too snugly and affectionate. They're bros before anything else after all. But hey! I'll get to that fluffy part next time. Probably.

Also requests are open! Go ahead and tell me all those AUs in your head and I might write a chapter or two about it, if I get the inspiration. Also I promise no speedy uploads ok. I am a busy person. OTL

Thank you for reading!


	2. The Last of Us - I

**A/N:** Since Levi doesn't have an official surname yet, I'll use Rivaille for now. Kinda sucks, but hey, I can't think of any other surname fitting him.

* * *

"I dreamed of you today."

Levi averted his gaze from the television for a brief moment, eyes landing on the tousle-haired woman before him. It wasn't rare for her to confess things to him – it was a bit of a blessing and more of a curse most of the time, since the woman doesn't know how to shut up sometimes.

"Was I handsome and dashing?" He turned back to the television, but his ears were focused on what she had to say.

"No," Zoe chuckled, one hand lifting up to rub her still sleep-glazed eyes. She hated waking up early. "You weren't. You looked terrible... You and I died."

The buzz of words and reports of some new found disease and political disputes filled the air, all but white noise to Levi's ears. Surprisingly, he didn't have a nice rebuttal to that statement.

"You were Lance Corporal, in my dream. You wore a brown jacket embroidered with half-black, half-white wings and you donned a green cloak and you carried two blades and killed off giants that ate people."

A scoff. "What T.V. show were you watching last night?"

"I studied my ass of last night," Rolling her eyes, the brunette threw a piece of cereal at him, hitting Levi on the shoulder with it before the grain fell to the kitchen counter. "It was a sad dream though. And really brutal. A lot of people died. I felt really hopeless, like it was the end of the world. I remember crying while you were picked up by a giant."

Levi took the remote and pressed the power switch, turning off the machine so that there was nothing more but silence and the patter of rain filling the air. He hated listening to the weather reports. They were always so shitty. Besides, Zoe's tale of them dying is much more interesting to listen to, even with the peculiarity of it all. "And then, what happened?"

Grinning, Zoe swirled the cereal around her bowl, drowning them further in milk. Stories, no matter how graphic, were always welcome in her book. "The giant bit off your legs, one by one, as if its showing me that its all over, that I couldn't save you – at least that's how it felt like, because I had this thing on that enabled me to go jumping from one place to another, like a machine of some sort. And I was coming for you – it knew that I was trying to save you. I was shouting your name, and I was crying, and I remember feeling angry, so, _so_ angry at that giant. And then it placed your body in it's mouth and I called you again, but I was still too far away to rescue you. You looked at me, and then – "

_You said I love you._

"Then what?" Impatient, Levi leaned closer, almost knocking his mug of still steaming coffee off the counter table.

_I told you I loved you too._

"You were eaten. I was picked up by a giant and I got eaten too. Then, I woke up." Feeling suddenly awkward, Zoe lifted her spoon up and dumped a few loads of soggy cereal into her mouth. Levi didn't have to know about those love confessions. After all, it was just a dream; she loved him like a brother and not as a lover.

"That was anti-climatic," Sighing, the man fell back to his seat, slightly disappointed. "I could have said something like 'close your eyes' or something like those fancy shit people say in the movies."

"You're not the romantic type I'm afraid." But in her mind, his voice echoes on and on – I love you, I love you,_ I love you_ – and then suddenly Zoe felt like crying again, like how she cried in her dreams. It was an empty, ugly feeling, the type of emotion that punches you so hard on the gut that all air gets knocked out of your lungs and you can't breathe, and you find yourself desperate, miserable, and immobilized. Why is this emotion so familiar?

"Don't think about it," He is as quick as always, familiar to the patterns of her thinking. Zoe smiled, before swallowing the sweet mushy goodness in her mouth. Its a bit creepy, how he predicts her every move. Or is she just that predictable?

Slowly, she took another spoonful of soaked cereal, milk dripping off the metal utensil as she lifted it up. "You were a soldier in my dream. You are a soldier in this life." Breathing deeply, she brought the spoon to her lips, devouring the food without chewing it. "Perhaps in this universe, I don't have to watch you die."

That came out grimmer than she intended it to. Now, it just looked like she was guilt-tripping him. Not that she disapproved of him for enlisting to the army, but there were other jobs out there. Less dangerous. Less deadly.

"I'll come home." His voice was surprisingly mellow, for a lack of a better term. The brunette had to look back at him for this odd reply – usually Levi was the kind of person who disliked emotional conversations. Pushing his chair back, the short man walked over to her side of the table, with her still sitting on the chair. Zoe wanted to joke about how this was one of the rare times she had to look up to him rather than he to her, but found it inappropriate to make a statement like that when she has gotten him so serious. Besides, Levi hated jokes about his height.

"Come home alive," She replied, cracking a small smile at her best friend. Unexpectedly, she found herself standing up as well, arms lifting to wrap around Levi's shoulders. Soon broad hands found their place on her back, touch warm and comforting.

"When I get back, do I have to call you 'Doctor Hange'?"

"I am already a doctor, Levi."

"You're an intern."

"Shut up." She laughs and pulls away, swatting at him, and he evades, naturally. "Go get your shit and get out, soldier."

"Yes, ma'am," He mocks a salute and turns his heel, heading for his bag. Its almost time for his departure. Soon a jeep would fetch him and ship him off to battle, like all the other soldiers in the city of Shiganshina. And sooner still there will be war, and worse death, inescapable as it is. Hange remembers her dreams again, and she could only hope Fate is kinder in this world.

* * *

"Aren't you excited?"

"I will be if you would shut up."

Mike snorted at this, and plunged his hand into one of his pockets, fishing out a rather crumpled picture of a blonde woman donning a white dress that made her look like a goddess. He admired it for a while, running his thumb across the woman's face, his lips twitching into a fond smile.

"I'm gonna ask her to marry me when we come home," He says softly, eyes still affixed at the lady's face. "I even bought a ring back in Trost." Tucking away his treasured picture, he produced the said item from his pockets and held it up for his friend to see. It was a simple ring, yet the stone on it called for much attention.

Levi responded with raised eyebrows. "Don't tell me you fucking bought that ring in the middle of the war, Mike."

The blond responded with an amused grin, to which the shorter of the two replied with a soft groan. "Diamonds were really cheap at that time, you know. It was worth it."

"Yes, I heard they were. I would have bought one for my wife as well, but ah, never mind that."

Surprised eyes were met with blue, calm ones – Erwin Smith wasn't known for being nosy, but he was known for being stealthy.

"Sergeant, sir," In unison, both Privates stood up in their seats and saluted, with Mike, as tall as he is, almost slamming his head against the overhead compartment in all of his urgency.

"At ease, soldiers. We're still in a carrier plane but we're not heading towards a battlefield. No need to be so formal." This was probably one of those rare times where they have seen the Sergeant smile so familiarly – or were they just so used to seeing him serious? "So, Zakarius. Who's the lucky girl?"

Retracting his hand, Mike let a small smile out, gaze returning to the ring in his other hand. "My girlfriend of 7 years, sir. I'll be asking her once we land."

"Not wasting even a single minute, huh," Erwin patted his junior's shoulder, smile still on his lips, expression warm. He had led these men to war, and survived with them – they are his blood, his brothers. Knowing one of them would be soon stepping into a church with a girl in tow is a proud moment. "I'll kick you out of the Army if I don't get an invitation, got that?"

Mike laughed, nodding right after Erwin finished talking. "You'll be the first one to receive it, sir, I'll make sure of it."

"And what about Private Rivaille? Did you buy a ring for the woman waiting for you back home, too?"

"No sir, I didn't."

Levi was abrupt, but Mike chose to lengthen his answer for him.

"There's no ring, but there's a woman," The taller of the two blonds sent the black haired man a sideways glance, all teasing and prying. "Why don't you tell us something about your lady doctor, Rivaille?"

"She's an _intern_, and she's my friend," Levi sent a fleeting glare at Mike, merely making the other chuckle.

"A friend... Ah, so the plot thickens," Erwin nodded, gaze falling on his co-blond, as if they shared a common secret Levi didn't know. If only the blond wasn't his superior, Levi would have punched the Sergeant by now. "I shall await further developments, then. Well now, good day to the both of you, and enjoy your vacations."

"Sure will, sir," Mike's snickers were cut short because of the sudden jab on his stomach, courtesy of his now very cranky co-Private.

"You don't know when to shut up, do you?" Sighing sharply, Levi fell back to his seat, mood souring altogether. He was never known to be the happy type, anyway.

The taller of the two tucked the precious gem back into his pocket, whilst taking his seat. His smile formed into a grin because he had been successful on pissing Levi off before their vacation. They weren't gonna see each other in a month, after all, and he was gonna miss teasing the short soldier.

"You're right, I don't."

* * *

Clickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclick click –

"Doctor Hange."

Clickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclick clickclickclickclickclick –

"Doctor Hange!"

_Clickclickclickclickclickclick –_

"Hey, Zoe!"

"I can't take anymore patients, I'm sorry!" Dropping her penlight on the floor, Hange stood up from her seat, hands up, gesturing refusal. The receiving end of her words met her with a chuckle, before dropping the records on the chair beside her.

"You can't say that, silly." Petra rolled her eyes and bent down to pick Zoe's penlight before slipping it in the other's lab coat pocket. "Where were you? The ER is filling up! There has been an accident on Oakwood road. Some truck carrying metal pipes and a bus crashed into each other. A man even got impaled by a pipe, can you believe that? Auruo got in on that, the lucky bastard," Sighing, the ginger flipped open one record file, eyes scanning the whole thing. "He's there assisting Doctor Pixis in OR 5 while I'm here, writing admitting orders because I was 'too slow in raising my hand'. God, I _hate_ Nile Dawk."

"Petra, is it 7 A.M? Its already seven, right? My shift is ove – _fuck_, its already fifteen minutes past seven!" Hange looked at her own watch, brown eyes burning into the hands, both ticking and not. "I'm already late!"

"What? Late for what?"

"Levi! He's coming home! His plane lands at 7 and I fucking forgot, I cannot believe this!" Throwing her hands in the air, Zoe groaned in mixed frustration and self-hate, before bolting toward their locker room, the stethoscope around her neck dropping midway in her sprint.

"Zoe, you dropped your – oh _wait_ don't leave yet! Did you finish writing down your –"

"Yeah, I finished, hours ago!" Then came a great swinging of a door, her voice soon fading out as the door closed.

* * *

He didn't know what to expect when they landed.

All of his fellow men were visibly ecstatic, visibly overjoyed. For a year they have fought the war against the rebels, and there was no greater reward than being able to come home to your loved ones alive, bearing the news of victory and peace.

Every single one of them had families. Mothers and fathers, wives and lovers. Children were definitely added into the welcoming party, since half of their platoon were fathers and mothers, too. But Levi was different; he always stood out, with his short stature and unpleasant demeanor. He had no living mother and father, nor a wife or a lover. What he had was a friend.

A friend who may never come.

Most of his co-soldiers were flocking out of the airport, all smiles and laughs, because they are truly home, now. Sergeant Smith too was already walking away with his five year-old son and his lovely wife, both clinging to him and in happy tears. Mike had already dropped the will-you-marry-me bomb and got the affirmative answer, and is now currently passionately french-kissing his girlfriend, Nanaba.

Levi felt happy for the man, but chose to look away, so that the blond wouldn't catch him staring. He was a little afraid too that he'll notice him there, standing beside a stone pillar like a loser without a person to welcome him home, like everybody else.

Zoe might have completely forgotten, he thinks, as he dragged his belongings and started heading for the exit. Typical of her. He wonders constantly how she even managed to enter medical school in her state of mind. "Yeah, she _definitely_ forgot," He says to himself silently, his throat all dry and his chest beginning to constrict in an ugly manner.

_Or she might have just forgotten about me altogether._

"Levi!"

The voice is so familiar, so distinct, that he wouldn't have needed to turn around to know who it was. Zoe stood there, panting hard, brown hair wild and unkempt. Her glasses were askew, her green scrub suit top leaning over to one side to reveal a part of the Star Trek T-shirt she's wearing underneath. Levi felt like punching himself, or punching someone else, because he could not believe she was _there. _The pathetic thoughts torturing him earlier vanished like soap bubbles in the air as she started walking toward him, face scrunched up, mind torn between the need to smile and the need to cry.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, oh, _Levi_ –" Soon she's running; and he too, toward her, even if he very much would not prefer to do so. He didn't want to look like a kicked puppy who had been offered comfort. When they're close enough to each other, Zoe threw her arms around him quite literally, with no grace, no poise, whatsoever. Levi felt the gunshot wound on his side hurt upon the added weight on his body, but he didn't mind, opting to return her embrace even tighter.

She grew thinner. He could feel her ribs poking about his skin as he hugged her. Was she eating right? Was she sleeping enough? He was about to comment about it but Zoe's laugh cut him off.

"What?" He pulled away slightly, a bit annoyed.

"Nothing," She answered with another chuckle, before tilting her head so that she could give him a kiss.

The world stopped spinning after that. Her lips weren't moist but they were soft against his. He could smell the mint in her mouth, feel the draft of her breath as she distanced herself from him, their kiss not lasting even a second. Affection had just started blooming in his chest – why did she have to pull away? Levi would have questioned her about that, but Zoe put her lips against his cheeks, his cheekbones, his nose, his forehead, and a lot more places until he forgot what he should be angry about.

"Welcome home," After a few more seconds of hugging, she loosened her arms around him, a smile still adorning her face as she looked at him.

"You're still in your scrub suit," He commented evasively, rather than saying something clever about her spit covering his face and neck.

"Yeah, well, I _was_ late!" Zoe chuckled, pulling away completely. The absence of her warmth felt weird. She should have kept holding on to him like how Nanaba did to Mike. "Come on, soldier, let's go home." Her hand shot out to take his luggage, but Levi beat her to it. She chuckled again, and walked with him, side by side.

"I changed residencies, by the way. I got two cats after you left," Hange narrated once they were in a taxi and had muttered the directions. "Don't worry, I cleaned up! I also trained Sonny and Bean how to, you know, poo in a litter box and all that jazz, so you don't have to worry about cat shit lying all over the floor."

"What about the fur? Don't they shed a lot?" Furrowed eyebrows were his reply to her stories. Zoe turned to look at him blankly, before leaning forward to peck him on the cheek. For a second there, Levi thought she was going to kiss him _there_ again_._

She looked at him seriously, and said, "I missed that clean-freak side of yours."

Rolling his eyes, Levi brought his hand up to push Hange's face away. "Shut up."

After that there were stories; more of them. She told him about her shift earlier; about the man who apparently had a pole stuck in him; about Nile Dawk, their asshole of a resident; and about how she almost ran out of the hospital with her lab coat still on. It was enough to last them until they arrived at their destination, and Levi was thankful for that, since he didn't want to share his stories in a place so public.

"Are you hungry? God, I'm really hungry; I haven't eaten since last night! We can eat at the diner across the street – the food is really good there, and the bread is simply fantastic. Or if you don't want to, that's okay, I can heat up some left-overs in the fridge."

Her ramblings are lost in his ears as he surveyed the interior of her new apartment. Off-white are her walls, just like the hospitals she works in, yet the brightness of it all is diminished by the many bookshelves and paintings and frames hung all over. If Zoe was orderly, it was with books – they were alphabetized and probably categorized too, by the looks of it.

A play area for her cats that have yet to make an appearance is at a corner next to the balcony, the toys all gathered in one basket, with a scratch post standing beside it. The living area doesn't have much furniture, just a flat screen T.V. and a couch, and heaps and heaps of pillows of different sizes and shapes scattered among a fury, zebra-pattered carpet. A low, Japanese lacquered wooden table is smacked in between the T.V. and the couch, offering a change among the modernity of the surroundings. Game consoles were there, perhaps another added to the collection since he left, and beside them is a small shelf filled with games, both old and new.

All of her curtains are translucent green, the color soft and pleasing, studded with a pattern of three-leaved clovers. Where the light touched there was a spray of gentle green light, bathing the entire place with a sort of odd coziness. Levi's eyes traveled to the kitchen where Zoe, who was now devouring a slice of cold pizza, stood. Looking at the state of her kitchen, she probably never tried to cook once he had gone, but nevertheless she appeared to have not thrown out the various cooking utensils they purchased together.

"Or do you want to take a shower first? Or a bath? I could prepare it for you," She took another bite from her pizza, then another, until she had eaten it all. "Now that I think about it, this will be the first time I can see you naked in a long time! Did you get ripped? Hey, let me see!"

"Zoe, can you _not_ –" He sighed mentally at her childishness and was about to walk away, but her hands are already upon his shirt, tugging and pulling. Persistent as she is, Levi had no chance of winning. However, upon lifting his shirt up to his abdomen, the brunette stopped, eyes wide at the white patch of gauze at his side.

Levi never thought he'd see her so hurt.

Gently, she touched the material covering his stitches, as if determining the extent of his injury. "It's just a bullet wound," He muttered, not used to the gloomy expression on her face.

"_Just_ a bullet wound? What if that bullet landed here instead?" Hange lifted her gaze right before putting her index finger on his chest, where his heart was supposed to be. "Or here?" She lifted her hand and poked his temple. "I could be staring at a different version of you, now."

"The bullet still landed on my side, and I lived." Reaching for her glasses, the soldier pulled it off of her, rendering her a bit visually impaired. Levi thought about kissing her now, tongue and all, before telling her how much he missed her and how much he hated her for being late, but the little voice inside his head disagreed.

_What if she pulls away, what if she hates you for it, what if she **doesn't** love you back–_

"I came back home alive," He murmured, placing a kiss on her forehead instead of her lips. "Like I promised."

Zoe let out a soft sigh as she wrapped her arms around him again. "Yeah, you did."

Fate is kinder, today.

* * *

**A/N:** Okay so just to make things clear, imma explain the part where Petra is complaining about Nile Dawk.

In the hospital, a group of interns are guided around by a resident (a doctor who had completed the 3-year training program called _'residency'_ after graduation from med school_)_ and often another attending physician (usually this doctor's specialty depends on what the situation calls e.g: if there needs to be a surgery then the attending physician will be a surgeon etc., but this doesn't apply always).

Here Petra and Hange are interns (they are in the _first_ year of residency) and the resident in their team is Nile Dawk. Pixis is the attending physician.

OR – operating room

So yeah. Hey, I kind of made a fluffy Levihan chapter, isn't that surprising? Huehuehue. I'm proud.

Also the title for this chapter means something, so yep.** I don't own that idea and it belongs to its creators,** but I just want_ really badly_ to put them into that situation because its so perfect ok.

I hope you enjoyed reading! /o/

Till the next chapter, then.


	3. The Last of Us - II

His dreams were breathtaking again, in the most misleading meaning of the word.

As a soldier he had expected the nightmares. After all the battlefield is unforgiving, and more so the enemy. But what he did not expect was to see Zoe in them – Zoe, the wide-eyed, bright-minded woman who wore a coat of white over a suit of healthy green.

In his dreams, she wore a jacket embroidered with white and black wings. She was a soldier who held two blades and slayed monsters that ate men. She smiles all the same, laughs and rambles all the while, but there is this certain dullness in her eyes that made her look dead, sometimes. Levi thinks it doesn't suit her.

And while on the topic of things that doesn't suit her, let us talk about red.

Red doesn't suit Zoe. Red doesn't match her hands, her face, her half-bitten body. Especially when red is liquid and warm and metallic – that is the worst type of red, because its the one that takes all the important things away.

Levi sat up, palms automatically positioning themselves on his closed eyes, rubbing them, remembering. He couldn't recall what she looked like. Were her eyes open? Did she appeared to be in pain? Everything is a blur to him but her lips – soft as they were cold – cold and unresponsive to his voice, to his declarations of love. _Love._ There it is again.

He had never viewed her like that, ever. Hange is always the friend, the sister, the family figure in his life. Levi treated her like a blood relative – _loved_ her like a blood relative – yet when she kissed him this morning his blood sang differently, much differently. Why was that?

Pulling away from his palms, the soldier swung his legs off the couch, thoughts still muddled. There must be some kind of mistake; some blunder he had overlooked. This was not right. Zoe is his friend, his family, and you don't think of french-kissing your own family, even if it might even feel go—

"Stop." No. Don't ruin this. Zoe is your _only_ special person now.

"You okay?"

Levi looked up, eyes squinted. He shouldn't have pressed his palms on his eyelids too much. "I'm good."

"You look kinda shitty," She grinned. His vision is still a bit blurred, but he knows that expression well. Zoe had emerged from her room, and is currently leaning against the door frame. "Hungry?" A few steps later, the brunette is already beside him, tousle-haired and still smiling. "I have cereal."

"It's two in the afternoon, and you're offering me cereal." When grey eyes finally adjusted, Levi sent her one of his signature blank looks.

"I can't cook, alright? I don't have much stuff in my fridge either. But we can go out! I know a good place. They serve the best lasagna. And those croissants you like so much, they have it in all sizes and flavors."

"You happen to know a lot of restaurants... Its suspicious." Hange laughed at this, glasses sliding down her nose a bit.

"When you left, I've never tried cooking. I had to improvise or else I'd starve to death." Hopping off the couch, Zoe made her way to the kitchen and reached for the fridge handle. "I don't usually invite friends over, but even in those times I do, they don't cook for me like you do. Except for Moblit though; he's a cutie."

An eyebrow rose to such statement. "Who the hell is Moblit?"

"He's a nurse at St. Sina's. Nice guy, great friend." Pulling out a carton of milk, Zoe pulled the top open and downed a few gulps. "As I've said, a cutie."

Standing up himself, the soldier walked over to Hange and snatched the carton from her hand. "I feel sorry for this guy." With a quick motion he tipped the carton too, draining the container some more before handing it back to her. He would have preferred ice-cold water, but Hange doesn't like hers chilled. Opening the fridge to get some would be fruitless.

"Yeah, yeah." Snatching it back, the brunette rolled her eyes and shoved the milk back in the fridge. "So are we going out or what?"

"We're not."

"We're not?" Zoe echoed back, blinking.

"Who's she?" Nodding now to the closed refrigerator door, Levi stared at the solitary picture pinned against it with a heart-shaped magnet. It was a picture of a woman. More precisely, it was a picture of Zoe and a pretty ginger-haired woman. Both were making a face, eyebrows scrunched up and lips curled in a funny manner.

"You don't remember her? That's Petra. Petra Ral. Don't think about hitting on her though, she's already taken – but that's not the point! We're not eating out? Where are we gonna eat?" Waving her hands at him to tear his attention away from Petra's face, Zoe asked again, expression still confused.

"Here. I'm gonna cook. We're buying groceries."

"Oh, what? Today's my day-off and we're gonna go grocery shopping?" With utter disappointment on her face, Hange threw her hands in the air, all in disbelief. "Levi, come on, don't do this to me."

"Don't do what? We need groceries. You ain't got shit in your fridge, and I'm assuming your pantry is just for display. I don't have any things of my own too. We really need to get some stuff bought."

"Okay, maybe we do, but can't we buy that some other time? Tomorrow, maybe? Please? I don't have time, Levi. I only get to see you for thirty days and most of those days I _won't_ be here so – _just_ – not today, okay?"

Pink was turning shade by shade into red. Usually, red didn't suit Zoe, but when it adorned her ears, it looked quite endearing.

"I just arrived today." He said softly. "We have plenty of time."

"You'll be surprised how one month can pass by so fast, believe me." She replied with a sigh. "Please."

"This better not be a fucking excuse for your laziness," With a pointed look, Levi crossed his arms and headed back to the couch. "If you don't want to go grocery shopping, then we might as well not go out."

Slowly, the same, goofy smile began crawling back to Hange's lips.

"I'll go order us some food, then."

* * *

At six-thirty, Zoe had left.

Levi had fallen asleep on the couch again, since they were huddled together in the living room all afternoon playing video games, cartons of food and take-outs encircling their little make-shift nest. At nightfall they began exchanging stories, voices becoming hushed as late night approached.

Zoe had told him a great deal. She had always been open with her feelings, her thoughts more so. He on the other hand, wasn't as vocal as she is – he told her what happened, what he went through, but he didn't give too many hints on the more personal stuff, like what it felt like abandoning an injured soldier to save your own ass. He needn't to say more for her to understand.

"My shift starts at seven tomorrow," She said when it was close to two in the morning. "I won't be home till seven or eight, maybe. You can go ahead and shop for food. I'll pick up a few things myself before I get home."

"I'll cook dinner, so don't eat out." With a small yawn, he replied. "What do you wanna eat?"

"Anything," Zoe giggled softly, her grin still as bright as ever. "Everything Levi-made is good enough for me."

"Be careful what you wish for. I might add in some cat-parts if you're not tactful."

"_Levi!"_ With a silent scandalized voice, the brunette hit him on the arm, reprimanding. The soldier merely snorted at this, ignoring the little slap he received.

"Good night, Zoe."

"I don't want to go to sleep," The doctor muttered, head leaning against the couch's backrest. "I'm tired of doing hospital work."

Levi had both of his eyebrows furrowed. "You can't say that."

"Funny, someone told me the same thing this morning." A chuckle. A hand reaching out to play with black locks. "Alright, you win."

"Go to sleep." He almost wanted to touch her hand and bring it to his lips.

"I will," She smiled, fleeting and beautiful. Soon Levi felt lips pressed to his forehead, arms snaking around his shoulders, bringing his face close to her hair as he sighed, contented. Zoe smelled of the hospital – the clean, crisp, white part of it. Away from red. Away from death.

"I dreamed of you today," He began, cradling her in his arms, body slowly falling down the cushion.

"Don't think about the bad dreams." Another kiss; on his temple. They sank together into the couch, consciousness ebbing away, bit by bit, until there is only the movement of their chests; the sound of their hearts.

* * *

"So."

Slamming down a can of pineapple juice, Levi snapped. "What?"

"There was smooching."

"Just so you know, Mike, I will not hesitate throwing _this_ at you, and every other thing that has metal in it in this bag if you don't shut up."

"Ah, so it wasn't _that_ kind of smooching. The plot thickens even more."

One spinning pineapple juice can hauled across the room later, the talking resumed once more.

"I'm just saying, man. There was even that running thing going on when you two saw each other. But even with that, there's still nothing? Hah, women. I can never understand them."

"_How_ did you even find me?" Bringing his head up from rummaging, Levi gave the other soldier a narrowed glance. He was half done unloading the paper bags, groceries now littering the tables and counter.

"I didn't try. I just took a look outside, wondering what I should do to kill time until Nanaba came home and then I saw you, unloading so much shit off a taxi. Surprise, my friend – my girlfriend and your friend lives in the same apartment building."

"_Great." _The shorter of the two shook his head, almost throwing the bag of potato chips in the air in an attempt to contain his sarcasm. "Are we going to have double dates from now on?"

"Well, if you can get your friend into a relationship, then we could."

Levi sent him a disgusted look. Mike just laughed, heartily.

"Ahh, nothing like the smell of emotional turmoil in the afternoon."

* * *

"You seem pretty happy today."

"Really?"

"More than usual," Petra smiled, burying her hands into her coat pockets. "Did something good happen?"

"Nothing really," Zoe began, her signature grin returning. "I just had a good night's sleep."

"Lucky you." The ginger patted her on the shoulder, and scooted closer when the elevator doors opened and a few people joined them in the four-cornered space. "How's your friend doing?"

"He's at home, probably cleaning stuff," A chuckle. "I'll introduce you to him sometime. I think you'll like him."

"I'll look forward to it then," A reciprocated smile. "What's he like, though?"

"Hmmm," Hange tapped her chin, eyes on the elevator numbers flashing one by one. "He's tactless and funny. And he's short."

"Short?" Petra blinked, just as the elevator doors opened again.

"Yeah," She laughed, skipping out with the ginger in tow, "Adorably short."

* * *

The next time he saw her, its already ten minutes to midnight.

Levi had prepared dinner, as promised. Roasted potatoes, carrots, beans (he added it in at the last minute so that he could make a joke about her cat) corn and chicken marinated in a secret formula he picked up back in Trost was the menu. Zoe loved hearty meals, so he figured he'd spoil her a bit, but just for this instance. It wasn't healthy to eat so much at night.

He had started preparing at five-thirty in the afternoon, just after he had driven Mike away when he couldn't take any more of the blond's playful jeering. Zoe's cats had made an appearance by then, surprisingly. The little shits were hungry, Levi later found out, when Sonny suddenly jumped up the counter and tried snatching away the chicken he was currently seasoning with salt. After he had very unwillingly fed the felines, they proceeded to play around, tumbling and running around their own territory, their toys now scattered about their small kitty corner.

At seven, supper was ready to be served. Zoe's shift ends at seven, or so he was told. Just in time.

But doctor Hange never arrived at seven. Or eight. Or the following numbers after that. Levi had grown tired of waiting for her when the short arm of the clock hit ten. So when his plate was loaded with food, he plopped on the couch and proceeded to entertain himself with silly reality shows and crappy movies on HBO.

The soldier had hit the showers and later, the bed, when eleven-thirty came. There must have been some kind of emergency in the hospital. Zoe's currently assigned to the ER (as ironic as that is), and as a soldier, Levi didn't have to know what kind of stuff happens in that place. He had been to battle, after all. Nothing is worse than that.

When sleep was just about to suck him in to dreamworld again, there was a soft creaking of a door. Cats were mewling, welcoming. Keys jingled, footsteps peppered the wooden floor. Soon the murmur of a weather report flooded his ears, news of rain and more rain over the weekend filling his consciousness, like a song with a melody he couldn't make out. Levi stirred in his half-asleep state, body soon responding to the clanging of metal and ceramic and to a voice, hushed, but happy.

Zoe was home.

"Was I too loud?" She asked, fork in midair, carrots and beans impaled by the utensil. She was sitting on the carpeted floor, cross-legged, with her bag beside her.

"Yes," Levi replied, stifling a yawn as he came out of his room. "I wasn't really asleep, anyway."

The brunette smiled at him and continued devouring her meal, eyes returning to the television screen. "The chicken is delicious, by the way."

"I know." He sat on couch, next to her, squinting at the screen as well. Apparently there will be some sort of storm coming. Bad weather ahead.

"Sorry I couldn't make it to dinner," Stabbing the remaining potato on her plate, Zoe began again. "The ER was loaded. They needed all the slaves they could get."

He hummed, not really caring about the matter. "I hope you were an efficient slave."

"I am the _best_ slave." He snorted at her confidence, while she grinned. Breaking the potato in to two, the doctor stabbed one part and a piece of chicken before stuffing them in her mouth again, chewing silently, ears and eyes focused on the evening news, before wishing to speak again.

"I want you to meet Petra." She was looking at him now. It confused him for a moment, took him by surprise, even.

"Who?" He knew who it was. He had been meaning to ask 'why' instead, but the word came out different.

"Petra," Zoe shook her head, smiling at his presumed forgetfulness. "Doctor ginger-pants over there. In the picture." She pointed then at her refrigerator.

"I'm not going out with her." His mind was quicker, this time. Back in their high school days, the brunette had always paired him with random girls, whether he liked it or not. She used to tease him before that he'd look less unamused with a pretty girl beside him.

Hange made a face, confused, eyebrows furrowed for a moment before breaking into a chuckle. "I'm not playing match-maker, silly. Didn't I tell you she's with someone else?"

A pause. "Then why are you insisting that I meet her?"

"Because she's with me."

The world stopped spinning again.

* * *

**A/N:** Hey y'all. Sorry for the slow update my friends. Final exams are coming so no new chapter for another week. Bear with me.

On another note, thank you for all the people who left reviews! They really keep me motivated.


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